Demand Up, Donations Down at Local Food Pantries

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Aug 14, 2008 7:15PM

The tough economic climate in which we're currently mired is hitting everyone. CBS2 reports that rising unemployment and higher costs for food and gas is taxing food pantries throughout the area as demand begins outstripping supply.

As of May 2008, food costs are 4.4 percent higher than they were at that point last year. The Greater Chicago Food Depository reports that for a twelve-month period ending in June they've had 3.6 million individual visits to their member pantries, doling out a record 45 million pounds of food in that span. The individual pantry visits reflect a 20 percent increase over visits for the same period last year. [CBS2, GCFD]